Camp – it’s not about politics.
It would not be a particularly good idea to write a post about politics for a camp blog, especially in the insanely toxic online environment that passes for discourse in 2022. But each year we have a unique experience – we camp with teens for several weeks of the year and the hectic demands of the day to day at camp demand our full attention, (happily) leaving no time for the hyper focus on dysfunctional political systems near and far. This experience is, to put it mildly, profoundly thought provoking.
So while I won’t write about politics, it might be a good idea to think about how we interact with each other, how we got to this place, where it’s probably headed, and what role do the camp experience play in the wider dialogue in a democratic society.
To start, we need to examine some of the elements that both scholars and the architects of the South African system understood to be essential to a functional, open, democratic society.
While a set of shared values was seen as an essential element, so was diversity. Tony Wake, program director of Camp Genesis, says “a diverse team of leaders can help you establish and build trust with many different people in your organisation”. Developing as diverse a group of teenagers as possible with the goal of producing capable leaders will help us maintain a well-balanced democracy. Diverse leadership brings a wealth of knowledge and varying perspectives, which can help improve the way your leadership relates to those inside and outside of your organisation. Diversity matters.
Association and engagement were important in all aspects of life three decades ago. People from all walks of life interacted with one another in service to a wide range of causes, and they recognized the importance of this to the functioning of society. Participating in community life was essential.
Recently, the trends have not been encouraging. Since the 1990s, membership and attendance in civic and governmental organisations and clubs has been steadily declining. However, media consumption in the form of television, and since the late 1990s, internet and associated device usage, has been increasing at a rate that matches or exceeds the decline in club/association attendance.
In other words, people are spending more time at home, looking at a screen, and less time out of the home, looking at (and speaking with) other people.
I have no problem connecting less one-on-one contact with the devolved state of political dialogue at all levels in most countries. We\’re less civil, less willing to listen but more willing to shout, and less likely to seek out or simply stop to hear opposing viewpoints.
As Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez put it “We Don’t Talk Anymore”.
In other words, people are spending more time at home, looking at a screen, and less time out of the home, looking at (and speaking with) other people.
I have no problem connecting less one-on-one contact with the devolved state of political dialogue at all levels in most countries. We\’re less civil, less willing to listen but more willing to shout, and less likely to seek out or simply stop to hear opposing viewpoints. As Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez put it “We Don’t Talk Anymore”.
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There is nothing new or particularly noteworthy here. What’s it got to do with camp? Well, a lot actually.
At camp we are not only learning a set of shared values, but the broad and diverse nature of our population pushes us towards values that are most inclusive and universal. A diverse camp population not only highlights the importance of creating a community that is welcoming and supportive of all, but also one that functions better as a result. A vacation at camp, with its limitless opportunities to interact with one another and the absence of distracting, addictive media, teaches us not only the fundamental pleasure of associating with a diverse group of peers, but also the interpersonal skills required to maintain friendships. Perhaps most importantly, camp teaches us how to disagree without being disagreeable. Although not everyone at camp always gets along, we always expect to be treated with respect and decency.
This is all very grandiose. There is no illusion here; we all understand that a week in nature at a camp is not the solution to the Big Problems. But we should also be aware that expecting a single, simple solution to the Big Problems is equally unrealistic. There isn\’t one. We do know, however, that throughout history, people with good intentions getting together, talking with each other (not past each other), and doing something has been the best solution to problems of all sizes. What if the solution is actually a collection of small but valuable solutions?
So we’ll go out into nature soon, hoping that our small contribution to the solution is a focus on giving our teenagers the opportunity to hone important interpersonal skills while their brains are most able to learn, so they grow into adults who will do something.
To find out more about Camp Genesis teen leadership programs, click here.